Opt Out 101: Why people unsubscribe from your newsletter...
1. You send too many—or too few—messages. When recipients feel a bit overwhelmed by the pitches in their inbox, they may decide it's easier to deal with none at all. Or if you hardly ever touch base with customers, they may wonder why—or if—they ever opted in.
2. Your content isn't compelling. Unless your message is relevant and interesting, don't hit send. "It's clear that people don't want to receive email for the sake of filling their inboxes," says Kulzer.
3. Your relationship has changed. Customers return products; they cancel services; they move into new industries. Simply put, your messages might no longer address their needs.
4. They have reasons unrelated to you. Unsubscribe requests often mention extended vacations or family illnesses. "Fortunately," says Kulzer, "many of these people will come back when the time is right."
5. They change their email address, or use an alternative method of receiving messages. If you offer RSS, for instance, don't be surprised if recipients unsubscribe from email campaigns. It's not you; it's tech.
What you know won't hurt you. Says Kulzer, “"If we ... understand what causes a number of people to exit, we also learn something valuable about our subscribers who stick around."
